Manifolding-ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



No. 825.457. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. H. J, HALLE.

MANIPOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1905.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

510. 825.457. PATENTED JULY 10, 196%. H J HALLEZ.

MANIFULDING RIBBON MECHANISM FGR TYPE WRITING M APPLICATION FILED MAY, 16, E305.

AGHINBS.

9 SHBETBSHBHT 2 7' I attomwq PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

H. J. HALLB. MANIFOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOP. TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

9 SHEETS-"SHEET 3 APPLIBATIDR FILED MAY 16, 1905.

Jflhl/e, nuc n For 3 Ha: "e43 PATENTED JULY 10, 1900.

H. J. HALLS. MANIFGLDING RIBBON MBGHARISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIGATIGZQ E'IL'ED MAY 16. 1905 9 SHEETS-SHEET &

glllelfil zfflillle 1 i ue n for V Win mama N1). 825.457 PATBNTED JULY 10, 1906. H. J. HALLS. MANIFOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLILATION mm: mm m. was

s) snnn'rr; SHEET 5 M a?! wimt/ No. 825,467. I PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. H. J. HALLS.

MANIFOLDING RIBBON MEGHAEISE FOR TYPB WRIYIIQG MAGHINES. APPLIUA'i'iGH nun HAY16, mom i 9 SEBETS-SH BB? [3 13%? case-a N0. 825,457. PATENTBD JULY 10, 1906.

H. J. HALLE. V MANIPOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIGATIOH FILED MAY 16, 1906 9 SHEETS-SHEET T W-mww/M PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

H. 3. BALLE. MANIFOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIGATEQN FILED MAY 16, 1905.

PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

H. J. HALE.

MANIPOLDING RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1905.

9 SHEETSSHEET 9 34 0 auto;

22km can: a

-ful Manifoldi UNITED STATESPATENT orrlon.

HIRAM J. HALLE, on NEW YORK. nfvliissionos TO ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.;

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MANiFOLDiNG-FHBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 0,

mums no not 1a. 1905 Serial No. 260.68

To all whom it may concern: 7 n Be it known that I Bream J, a eiti zen of the United tates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State, of New York, have invented a new end use- -Ribbon Mechanism for Type- Writing Machines, of which the following 13 s. specification. 7

This invention relates to a manifoldingribbon mechanism which though as able of use in other-reiations is especiaiiy esigned for the equipment of type-writhig rnechines of thevlslble-writing round-platen t Vpe. i

' 'muitaneousl? The object of the invention, stated roadly, is to provide a type-writing machine with a. ribbon or ribbons arrange to facilitate the production of. manifold-records without necessity for the use of loose carbon or transfer sheets. 1 Stated more specifically, the principal ob -1 foot is to equip a machine of the visib e-writmg type with one or more ribbons arranged in a novel manner to ermit a pluralityof; paper webs or sheets to e interwoven or dis:

posed in alternation with a plurality Oflihw? on sections, whether of the same or different ribbons, located in the lane of the lip writing during the printing 0 eration te produce upon t e paper str; or sheets a p nraiity of impressions or recor of the printed- Anotherobjeet is to rovide for the automatic feeding oithefib on or ribbons to prei sent fresh portions thereof opposite the printing-point. Q

Another object is to mount one or more of the ribbons for bodily movement with the laten and pa er and to provide for thefeedmg of such ri hon or ribbons during there? traction of the oarri e thernovement of the platen toward the is duringthe writing opelevation of ,a t

carriage is retracted to begin a new line of writingfi V 1 7 Another 'obieot of the invention is to mount a ribbon not oniy on the carriage for movement with-the latter in its travels back and forth in the direction of letter-spacing, but also forreevement with the platen as the latter issinlitefd on the carria e to change the eass', thn's permitting the rib on and the two to remaininreiatively fixed relation uring the rinting of a line inchiding both upper and ower case eharseters. 1 V

"Subordinate to the several objects recited areothersgwhieh wili appear more fully as thejsinefeefding description of the iliustrated embodiment of the invention is developed.

lnthe'aceompanying drawings, Figure 1 is e-wnting'nlsehine 7 V nipped with manifol ing-rihbon mechanism innonordanee with my inveniion n hgr. 2 isa'plan view thereof with parts when a portion of the casing broken wy'to' e keg-operated feedingmeohasismfqr one of t e ribbons. Fig. 3Vis a "'atic view of the platen paper V We ribbonsshown in sa dis indetailv perspective view showm-g what'may tfisfisenns seeondary ribbon and the ineehenisnifor efieeting the feeding 'thereof from spool to theoarrigie. the ieed j;

fnil'lines and indicati spools, the seeonderylih in dotted. es. ';i'fi%is'n"detai1 sectional eievation" i I fie relation of a spool- "sihaft andthe associated pinion and ratchet. Fi s rpl an viewof the machine e nipped wit both mounted on t ma chine fr s-see wound upon the same spirals, 8 is a front elevation of the meo seq 'ilp'od as shown in Fig. 7. 9 is a i Ian *viewof a farther variation: the rib on mechanism, showing both ribbons ounted 9L1. the frame, but wound upon difs oo! d the retraction of l igg isa etail view show' ajtg; pinions; ratchets, and paw s; the positions of the 'ongand the guides.

paper sheefiiietween which it is into used? sway; iiEigTS'is a 'side elevatinn'nirrhe fia 1 ferentspools both sets of s ools being geared ,together an arranged to" e operate from the jgeyst Figkltilis a silgigl elevation def the 'u fortiono 't emac e in'ppe as in 11 is a plan flew or a still further variation, consisting inQthe employesrriage being fed from-spool to spool as the more: one ribbon extending between spools mounted on the frame and two additional ribbons mounted on separate sets of spools movable with the platen-carriage and geared together. Fig. 11' is a diagrammatic view of the platen, paper webs, and ribbons shown in Fig. 11; and Figs. 12 and 13 are a front elevation and a lan View, respectively, shmving an endless r1 )bon arranged to have separate parts or sections thereof arran ed o posite one another in the plane of the fine 0 writing.

Each part, wherever shown, is designated by its appropriate reference character.

1 indicates the frame or casing of a typewriting machine, 2 the keys, and 3 the t pebars operated b the keys by interme iate connections wit 1 which my present invention has no concern.

4 indicates the paper-carriage guided in suitable ways adjacent to the upper rear corner of the frame 1 and designed to be advanced step by step to the left b carriagepropelling mechanism controlled y a key- 0 )eratcd escapement, as is usual in this type of machines. The shaft 6 of the platen 5 is journaled in bearings 7 and 8, which are connected to form a platen-frame and are vertically movable in u right guides 9,ri id with the carria e 4. T e platen-frame t ierefore includes the journals 7 and 8 and su orts the platen 5, which is vertically moval) e by means of a shift-key .10 and suitable intermediate connections for the purpose of disposing the platen at different elevations corresponding to the location of the upper and lower case characters on the type-bars.

Mounted on top of the frame 1 are ribbonspools 11 and 12 for what may be termed t is primary ribbon 13. The ends of the ribbon are wound upon the spools in an obvious manner, and at a point between the spools the ribbon is passed through a guide 14, having operative connection with the keys, so as to be raised from its normal depressed position to elevate the ribbon 13 opposite the printing-point as the type-bar a( vances toward the platen. This feature is a characteristic of front-strike or visible-writing machines, and the specific mechanism here shown is not my invention. The spools 11 and 12 are alternately operated positively from the keys to feed the primary ribbon, and so far as the present invention is concerned this feed ma be effected by any well-known or approve form of ribbon-feeding meohanism-as, for instance, that which is indicated generally in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Indeed, it may be stated at this point that none ofthe various features of constrlwtion which have thus far been described are claimed as my invention, except in so far as they may enter into combination with certain other features to be hereinafter deseribed-notably, provision for utilizing a single ribbon for the simultaneous production of a plurality of copies of the record or for producing such manifold record by the addition of one or more secondary ribbons which in connection with the usual or primary ribbon accomplish the same general resu t.

That embodiment of the invention which is shown in the first six figures of the drawin s will be first described.

Xtended forwardly from the journals 7 and 8 of the laten-shaft and vertically movable therewlth are ribbon-spool-su porting brackets 15, supporting ribbon-spoo s 16 and 17, upon which are c positely wound the ends,

of a secondary rib on 18, extended across the platen opposite the printing-line and retained in its proper position by suitable ribbon-guides 19, extended from the brackets 15. The secondary ribbon 18 is designed to be interposed between two paper sheets or webs 20 and 21, the latter being interposed between the two ribbons, so that the several aper webs and the ribbons may be said to be disposed at right angles to each other and interwoven or in alternating arrangement.

In printing the type strikes the primary ribbon and impresses the latter upon the front web or sheet 20 to produce the ori inal record, a duplicate record substantial y as clear as the first or ori inal record being produced u on the secon sheet or web of paper 21 by t e secondary ribbon 18. If desired, the rear side only of the secondary ribbon 18 may be inked, so as to avoid the possibility of producing characters on the back of the outer or rimary worksheet. The paper necessarl y moves with'the paper-carriage as the latter advances in the direction of letter-spacing or is retracted to begin a new line of writing, and in that embodiment of my invention shown in the first six figures of the drawings a secondary ribbon likewise moves with the carriage. It follows that while the secondary ribbon and the aper are held relatively stationary during the writing of a line the ribbon will nevertheless be advanced step by step, so that an unused portion thereof wil be continuously presented at the printingiloint. Thus during the printing of a line ot the primary and secondary ribbons will be advanced, the primary ribbon being fed step by ste from spool to spool and the secondary ribbon bein advanced step by step with the carriage. t is desirable, however, to provide means for feeding the secondary ribbon from one spool to the other. It will be noted that if the feeding means of the secondary ribbon were fed step by step from the spool 17 to the spool 16 during the advance of the carriage to the left the actual feed of the ribbon relative to the printing-point would be two spaces at a time, one 'step or increment being effected by the movement of the ribbon from spool to spool and the other increment 'being simultaneously effected by the movement of the ribbon with the carriage. This would result in an unnecessary feed of the ribbon. On the other hand, if during the ad-' Vance of the carriage to the left the secondary ribbon were fed step by step from the spool 16 to the spool 17 the same portion of the ribbon would be used continuously, because while the ribbon would advance one step to the left with the carriage it would advance one step to the right relative to the carriage, the result being no actual advance in either direction with respect to the printing-point.

For the reasons stated it is preferable to frovide no feed of the secondary ribbon fl om spool to spool during the letter-spacernve ment of the carria e, since this movgemen' f itself effects a bodi y ste -hyste advance feed of the secondary r1 hon relative to the printing-point. Having used mportion ofth'e' :o seconds ribbon corresponding in len th to the lengt of the line written, it is desire is to displace this portion of the ribbon by a fresh or unused 'ortion thereof. I have therefore devised rib onfeeding means which operates automatically during the retraction oifthe paperrcarriage to efiect a comparatively 6X17 tensive feed of the secondary ribbon from 33 from the ratchet 31 and releasing the catch one spool to the other, sufliciently extensive, in fact, to displacethe entire used-portion of the ribbon or at least a substantial portion thereof.

The spools 16 and 17 are provided with depending shafts 22 and 23, each rovided at its lower end with a head 24 an a reduced neck 25. lhe shafts are provided with feed pinions 26 and 2-7, loosely revoluble upon the necks 25 and designed during certain periods of movement of t e carriage to engage fixed racks 28 and 29. These racks are oppositely disposed, as shown in Fig. 4, and extend be yond opposite ends of the frame 1, to which they are rigidly secured by brackets 30. Fixed to the spool-shafts 22 and 23, above the feed-pinion's 26 and 27, are ratchet-wheels 31 and 32, having their teeth disposed inopposite directions; as'shown in Fig. 5, and sirranged to be engaged by pawls 33 and 34, givotally mounted on the adjacent pinionsl; acli pawl isnrged toward its ratchet by a spring 35 and is provided with acatoh 3 6 which may be engagfid the upper face 0 t e pinion to retain-the awl man inactive positionthat is to as in a position in which it will not engage t e; ratchet. (See, for instance, the assistant the pawl 34 in Fig. 5.) By refereneej sand 5 it will'be noted as. seer-r assess n e is moving to the left or in the direction oft e arrowsm said figures the inions may. engage the racks and rotate free y b 7 reason of such movement in the direction 0 .the'fullw line arrowson the pinions in Fig. dwithollfii rotating the s ools, the pawl 33 clicking idly over the rate et 31 during this movement effccted. When the ribbon has beencorm {tns'epesason of the spools. This, how

in a depression 33 in ever, is unnecessary because the diameter of and the pawl 34 being entirely out ofcontact with the ratchet 32. Durin the first part of the retracti'le movement of t e carriage, however, the pinion 26, enga ing the rack 28, will necessarily rotate in t e opposite direo' tionto wit, that indicated by the dotted arrow inFig. fi -and this movement will be imparted to the spool 16 by reason of the engagernent oft-he pawl 33 with a tooth of the ratchet 31 Thus during the travel of the inion 26 along the rack 28 the spool 16 will e rotated to wind the secondary ribbon -18 thereon, thus displacin either the entire used portion thereof or a su stantial part of such portion from a position opposite the platen andpresenting an unused portion of the ribes simultaneously unwound from the spool states] obviously rotate freely during he operation just described by reason'of the "pull on the ribbon- Thus during the .mgof a line the secondary ribbon will e advanced step by step relative to the printing rintpoint with the carriage, and during the retraction of the cajl'riage a much greater feed of the ribbon relative to the platen :will be 9 Fleteiy wound upon the s ool iii, the ribbon- 'eed will be reversed by d' engaging the pawl 36 of the other pawl 34 to ple'rmit said pawl to engage the ratchet 32. nder t ese new conditions the feed-pinions will ro ate'idly duringthe forward movement of the carriage, the pawl idl over the batch 2&3

Dur ng the last part 0 the retractile vement of the carria e, however, the inio 27 will rotate in the irection of the otted arrow in Fig.5; and the spool 17 will thus be rotated towns the ribbon thereon in a man-l -.ner similarto the winding of said ribbon on the spool 16, as already descri ed. The onl 'differsneebetween the operati n of the s on s.

FIE and 1? is the the spool 1; is positively rotated tojeed t e ribbon to the left during portion of the retraotile movement of thecarriage, while the last portion of such 'retrectile movement is utilized for the posijive operation of the s col 3.7. Itis possible ,hQv; ejit tending the rec s inwardly to utilize the entireretractile movement of thecarriage a ribbon-spool the body of ribbon wound thereoiiis feon fsiderably greater than the diameter of the feed; j'nion, and consequently the extent of the ribbon-feed will be considerlbly grater than the length of the rack by insane of which is effected. Furthermore, it is under some condition toextend the geeks be end the frame or; e machine pvsit'is evi out that where o acomparati" 1y. sli ht fee? of the secon ary ribbon isreqnir as, or instance, where a narrow paperfstripis em loyed for writing :1 columns? nskhers, ad resses, or

other short lines sitihcient feed of the ribo bon could be secured b locating the racks 28 and 29 or a single rac within the limits of the machine-frame.

As shown more particular] in Fig. 4, the racks 28 and 29 are of such imensions that the pinions will not be disengaged therefrom when the platen is elevated for the printing of upper-case characters. This provision for the en agement of the pinions and racks in both the upper and lower case positions of the platen is not absolutely essential, but is desirable for the reason that in the event of disengagement of the pinions when the platen is elevated slight rotary movement of the pinions might prevent proper correlation of the parts to be reengaged, and thus permit one or both racks to. obstruct the downward movement of the platen upon the release of the shift-key.

In the broader aspects of the invention it is immaterial what character of work elements are employed, since it is obvious that the invention is rimarily directed to manifold-printing and that it is equally adapted for producing manifoldrecords upon all kinds of work-sheets ca able of being printed upon by machines of t is character. When long webs or sheets of paper are employed, they may be led from any suitable source of supply, referably, though not necessarily, provide with a holder or container of some character-as for instance, one or more rolls supported either on or ofi of the machine. Inasmuch, however, as this invention is designed dparticularly to facilitate the makin out of uplicate mailing-strips or long lists 0 names and addresses which when separated constitute address-labels, I provide at the back of the machine a paper-roll-supporting frame 39, in which are mounted spindles 40 and 41 supporting paper-rolls 20 and 21 from which the paper-webs 20 and 21 are le 'opposite the platen. The frame 39 includes a pair of arms 42, extended forwardly and attached to the carriage 4, and in order to prevent the weight of the rolls and frame from causing binding of the carriage 4 in its guides said frame is provided at its lower front corner with rollers 43, which travel u on a track 44, secured to the rear side of the ramel and preferably extended beyond the op osite ends or sides of the frame, as shown in ig. 2.

Obviously instead of mounting a series of paper-rolls on the frame 39 the several aper we s may be wound into a single rol su ported by said frame or otherwise. It shou d also be noted in connection with this form of the invention that while it is desirable to ,locate the s ools 16 and 17 of the secondary ribbon 18 eyond opposite ends of the platen, for the reason that a work element as wide as the platen is long may thus be accommo dated, such arrangement is not essential, since it is only necessary that the straight .lengths and disposed during horizontal portion or section of the ribbon 18, which is located in the plane of the line of writing, shall be of sufficient length to accommodate the articular work-sheet to be used. Therefore i as in the present instance, the use of narrow paper sheets or strips is contemplated the s ools 16 and 17 may be mounted much 0 oser together than in the illustrated construction.

Another peculiarity of the described arrangement may also be pointed out. In type-writing machines of the visible-writing type, so called, the entire line of writing is exposed to view exce t when actually prlntmg, and even then on y such portion of the line 18 obscured as is necessary to resent a short section of the ribbon in the p ane of the line of writing or op osite the printingpoint. For this reason t e ribbon is mounted at a point or points remote from the. plane of the line of writing, and a short section of the ribbon usually located between two spools is intermittently resented oglposite t e printing-point or in t e plane of t e line of writing by means of a com aratively narrow-ribbon-gpiding device, inc uding a set of ribbon-guides spaced comparatively close together. In the illustrated construction the guiding device 14 rises and falls in a manner well understood in the art, and the fin ers of said device constitute the set of ribbonguides to which reference has just been made, It being observed by reference to Fig. 1 that between these guides is located a short straight section of the ribbon 13, which seetion is located in the plane of the line of writing during the actual printing operation. This ribbon-section, while sufficient to transfer the impression of the type to the paper, is insufficient to obscure any considerable ortion of the line of writing, even when raised to its elevated position opposite the printingpoint.

With the secondary ribbon 18 the conditions are entirely different. This ribbon, like the primary ribbon 13, must of necessity have a strai ht section thereof disposed in the plane 0 the line of writing, and this straight section must be at least coextensive in length with the line to be written, since it bears a fixed relation to the paper during the writing of a line and must necessarily be located opposite each portion of the paper to which an impression is to be transferred by it. Thus it would seem that in equippin a visible-writing type-writer with a manifol ding-ribbon mechanism it is desirable, if not essential, to provide at least two ribbon-sections, whether arts of the same or of se arate ribbons, whic sections are of di erent the printing operation in the plane of the ine of writin to simultaneousl produce a plurality of 1mpressions of t e character printed, one ribasses? hon-section being at least as long as the line to be written and the other section being shorter than the line of writing in order to leave at least a portion of the latter unobscured.

As a corollary of the foregoing proposition it would also seem thatit is desirable, if not essential, to include as elements of'a manifold ribbon mechanism for visible-writin typewriters at least two sets of ribbon-gui es, the guides of one set being spaced farther apart than the guides of, the other set, the guides of each set accommodating between them a straight section of ribbon comparatively long or short, accordin to the wide or narrow spacing of the gui es. The term -aides as thus used is to be construed broadly-so broadly, in fact, as to include ribbon-spools without the addition of other ribbon-guiding instrumentalities, since it is evident that these ribbon-sections of different len hs might be extended directly between rib onspools, which, without addition, would constitute terminal guides for the active ribbonsections.

In Fi s. 7 and 8 is shown another embodiment 0 my invention. In this form the o posits ends of both the primary and secon ary ribbons 13 and 18 are wound upon the same s ools 11 and 12, the secondary ribbon beingl d around guide-rollers 18" andlS", carried by brackets 18, secured to and ex; tended outwardl from the oppositeisides of the frame 1. T 's arrangement of the rolls is adopted in order to present an extensive; 7 portion of the ribbon 18 arallei Wlbllj platen and in the plane of t e line of wrong and the extension of this portion of the-rib bon beyond the op osite ends ofthe frarge ig desirable, since in t is instance this inner and platen move along the secondary r2 hen, the

,straight or active portion or section'of'which' must be of suficient length to accommodate the travel of the paper with the platen. Of course where, as in the present instance, a very narrow Ipa or web is employed averyw limited trave o the platen is necessary, and for that reason the extension of the secondary ribbon-might be materially diminished. In fact, if the paper is uite narrow the brackets 18 may not only e materially shortened, but may even be omitted entirely and the ribbon-guides locatedlwithin the limits of'thfi" machine-frame ras it is only necessary that the strai ht lortion or section of the ribbon? 18 shall a o suflicient loath to permit the paper to travel along it uring the printmg of a line. This necessary length of the straiht ribbonsection is approximately equa to the width of the paper plus the length of the line-of writing, assum than; the ribbon is mounted on the machine ems, as distinguished from the carriage, and that the ribbon-spools are mounted in advance of the paper. The arran ementshown, however, permits the use o paperwebs considerably wider than these i iustrated. In this form of the invention the ribbons are simultaneously fed step) by step in the manner in which a single rib on is ordinarily advanced from ipool to spool.

In igs. 9 and 10 still another form of the invention is shown. In this case the spools 11 and 12 for the primary ribbon are provided with gear-wheels a, which mesh with similar gear-wheels 5, carried by separate s ools 16 and 1? for the opposite ends of t e secondary ribbon i8. In this construction. as in that previously described, the ribhon 18 is led from the spools around guiderollers 18 and 18 to present the active portion of the ribbon in proper relation to the platen, as heretofore described. As shown in Fig. 9, the uide-rollers, together with the spools 16 and 16, are mounted on brackets c, secured to the o posite sides of the frame 1. It will of course e understood that in both the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and that shown in Figs. 9 and 10 that portion of the seconda ribbon lyin between the guides 19 wil be elevated by said guides 'when the laten is shifted reparatory to the printing'o an upper-case c aracter. 7 In F1 11 is shown a variation which correspon s with the construction shown in the 7 first six fi ures, except that an additional secondary ri bon l8 is interposed between the ribbons 13 and 18 and has its opposite ends wound upon spools l6" and 1?", mounted on extensions 15 of the brackets 15, and except, further, that the'spools 16 and 17 are pro- 'vided with gear-wheels d, meshing with simijsgr gear-wheels e on the spools 16" and 17. "Since the spools of the respective secondary ribbons 18 and 18 necessarily rotate in opposite directions in view of the direct gearing thereof, the corre onding ends of these ribbons are necessazify oppositely wound. In this last-described cm of the mvention proyision is obviously made for three-copies of the record. Three paper webs are utilised, one being ledbetween the laten and the ribbon i8, thenext 1 between the two secondary rinsonsis and 18", and the third being carriednpwardly between the ribbons I8" and 13. In this case the three webs may %r;efersbgiy either a s ngle roll into whie it ns wehs'arewound or three separate rolls, for the accommodation of which the paperroll'frame may be modified. The 0 eration of the ribbon mechanism shown in ig. 11 is precisely the same as that described in con- "nection with the first form of the invention, (shown in 1 to 6 the two secondary ribbons operating simultaneously precisely as the single secondary ribbon operates in said first-described construction.

55 led from any'suitable source of supplyii In Fi s. 12 and 13 is shown an embodil variations may be, effected For: instance,

ment 0 the invention which comprehends the em loyment of a single endless ribbon 13, coiiied upon a ribbon spool or holder 13 and having a looped portion guided by ribbon-guides 13, 13, and 13. Between the guides 13 extends a comparatively long straight ribbon-section :0, located in the plane of the line of writing and designed to transfer the impression of the printed character to the second or inner sheet or web of aper. A second and somewhat shorter straight ribhon-section y extends between the guides 13, which in this case are the fingers of the ribbon-guiding device 14. This section y when raised by the guide 14 is disposed o osite the printing-point. In other wor s, 1t is then located, like the section as, in the plane of the line of writing, so that impressions of the-character printed will be simultaneously transferred by the ribbon-sections -y and m to the outer and inner sheets or webs, res ectivel It might be practicable to lea the ril ibon directly from the guides 13 to the left-hand uide 13; but in order to ex ose as much 0 the line ofwri tin as possib e it is preferable to provide an a ditional guide 13, located at some distance in advance of the left-hand guide 13. By this arrangement both of those ortions ofthe ribbon which extend beyon op osite sides of the short section 'y are removed from close proximity to the aper, so that the only part ofthe latter whic is obscured by theiribbon' during the printing operation is that point located directly at the printingoint and covered by the short section y. n this instance the feed of the ribbon may be effected in any one of several waysas, for instance, by rotating the holder or spool 13 in a manner similar to the operation ofthe rimary ribbon-spools in the construction first described.

An idea generic to all of the disclosed forms Another generic feature is the rovision of separate sets of ribbonides, t e members of one set being space farther apart than the members of another set so that the ribboo-sections accommodated by the respective sets of guides and extending between the members thereof will be of different lengths.

While I have illustrated a number of forms of ribbon mechanism, to all of which my invention is generic, it is evident that further where more extensive manifolding is desired either the frame or the carria e of the machine may be equipped with a arger number of ribbons than has been shown, such variation merely requiring an extension of the disclosed arran ement-that is to say, the mountin of a l iarger number of ribbons on the spoo s or the provision of additional spools when it is desired that each ribbon s all be Wound upon spools ap ropriated to it alone, or where a single end ess ribbon is employed additional copies may be provided for by training the loo ed portion of said ribbon back and forth etween additional guides to secure additional active ribbon-sections. Furthermore, the severalrecords may be produced in different colors by employing ribbons-of different colors or a single ribbon having different-colored sections.

I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not make claim in this application to the mechanism of the type writing machine pro or, the present invention being directed sole Y to the production of ribbon mcchan ism iiy means of which manifold records may be simultaneously produced. It should also be understood that while the several ribbon mechanisms shown are embraced within thespirit of the invention and fall within the scope of certain generic claims resented the form disclosed in the first six ures of the drawings is the only one specifically claimed herein.

It is'thought that from theforegoing the construction and operation of the several illustrated embodiments of my manifolding ribbon mechanism will be clearly comprehended; but I desire to be understood'as reserving the right to effect such chan es, modifications, and variations of the il ustrated structures as may comefairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim 1s- 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a frame, rinting mechanism,

platen, and platen-carriage, of a plurality of.

ribbon-sections disposed longitudinally of the line of writing and arranged in opposed relatio impression to a plurality of paper sheets alternatin with said ribbon-sections, and feeding mec anism common to said ribbon-sections.

2. The combinationwith the movable carriage of-a tylpe-writing machine, of a plurality of inking-ri boos-mounted on and movable with the carriage and disposed in superposed relation at the printing-point to permit their disposal in alternating arrangement with a plurality of work elements.

3. The combination'with the movable pa per-carriage of a type-writing machine, of

to simultaneously transfer atype mounted on on the ribbons.

. 8m mega glurelity of inking-ribbons mounted ome:

separate ribbons mounted on the carriage and arrangegl to simultaneously transfer a. tppe impression to a. plurality 01'- pa. or sheets a bematrng with the ribbons, on separate sets of spools for said ribbons.

5. The eombination with the movabio pe-. per-carriage of a. type-writing machine, of separate ribbons mounted on the eel-liege, and separate sets of spools for said ribbons, a. spool of one set being geared to a spool of another set.

6. In combination with the movable a-.- per-oarrie e of a type-writing machine, a. p uraiity. ofn bone mounted on the e and arranged to simultaneously transfer a. type impression to a lurality of pepersheats elternating with t e ribhons, .se parete sets of ribbon-specie forvthe ribbons, and operating mechanism common to the several spools.

7. The combination with the frame, print.- ing meoheniein and movable paper-carriage of a type-writing Hlflhillfi of a plurality of ribbons extending norm the carriage opposite hheprinting-point eml arranged to simultaneous transfer a type zmpresexon to e plurelity pa er sheets alternating with rho ribbons, on feeding meohanism common to said ribbons.

8. The combination with the frame, prim.- ing mechanism, and traveling paper-carriage of q. type-writing neohine, of a iureiity sluralii. of saiti r:

more is with he paper-earriege the severe ribbons being a plurality of paper sheetsnltemating with 9. The combination with the movebie pawise of the oerriege end orren'ged to simultaneously trensier a. type nnpreesion to e plurality'of pa. er sheet-s alternating with the ribbons, in: moons for simultaneously feet ingsaid ribbons when the omega isretreeted.

10. The eombination with the movable pa,-

' of a t.

a maid:

movable with the carriage an an: 0 simultaneously transfer a. type impression a. plurality of paper sheets eitematgn with the ribbons, and means for entomatm y ofmeohanism including writ' machine of a mg a feeling thesirnuiteneoua feeding of the ribfooting the simultaneous fee of said ribbons chrri the retraction of the carriage.

' 1i. e typo-writer, the combination with a fran e a. movable carriage, e platen movoble with the carriage, and prin mechanism mounted on the frame, of manifolding a 1 plureiity of ribbonseot-ions disposed opposite the line of writing during the fintingnfepemtion, and ribbonfeeding mee anism riding a spool, 11 reek and intermediate gearing.

12. In a type-writing maohine, the oombinetion'wiilh a frame, a movnble carnage, a":

platen movebio with the mg mechanism monnte lding mechanism inoluding a. plurality of ribbon-sections disposed opposite the hue ofwri ti 110 in o oration ribbon-fef r ng fi henis in o. rib on- :gool mounted on one oen'iegege rook mounttween the reek and spool.

13. In a type-writing maehine ihe combination with t e frame and prin i meohan 15m mounted thereon the movob e eamage and the platen movebie therewith, of ribbonspools movable with the carriage, e ribbon extended between the spools, a. pair of fixed racks mounted on the machine-frame, and

b tregiionofthe bob enewheoi r if lan owner-rig in ig oiuding on week end interposed ear-mg. f r typewriter, the oom ination with W r 1 bbons one of said rib V 7 and mountesi on the frame of tho 15; of insane in open entoiibeploten meohine anda no d line epaeang mechanism for the ribbon In either dixeotion during the re rooro fion' ftheoarriagetobegnanewline of simultaneously transfer etype impression to letein movable therewith, a pluralit onbnionnted on the oamaEe and op tbeiineofwrit a thoaame time, an means independent 0 the platon'for of- 18: In atype-writing meehine, the eornbieohomsm nation with e.

m mounted thereon, a. nioveble carriage, and a on the 'maohine-framo, and gearing lee-- a inovable earrings, a piston, pn'ntand nut.- d 011' 5:6 fran ie, of

platen movable therewith, of a plurality of ribbons mounted on the earria e, a ribbon mounted on the frame, all of sai ribbons be- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ing disposed in the plane of the line of writing HIRAM J. HALLE. 5 during the printing operation, and means in- Witnesses:

dependent of the platen for feeding the rib- CHAS. FLINT,

bons mounted on the carriage. H. R. VAN DEUCER. 

